Send Me An Angel
by C Jun
Summary: Though he struggles to understand, he cannot grasp the feelings raging within himself. Why was she so attached to something that held no purchase, a soul so far from her own that it hurt her? Why did it matter to him if she cried anymore?
1. Chapter 1

Orihime was a delicate flower, a girl that was as small as she was frail. Her arms, thin and lightly tanned, were wrapped around her knees that were drawn to her chest. Her head was slightly bent, her auburn hair haloing her face in a ring of fire. It had been so long since she had seen her friends, so long since she breathed air that didn't smell of harshness and crippling loneliness. But she wasn't wallowing in pity or sadness, she was thinking.

One of her small hands drifted upwards and tucked her hair behind her ear, her brown eyes dancing up the wall to the ceiling. Ulquiorra would be arriving very soon to 'tend' to her, which included anything but. The Espada brought a meal that was barely consumable, harsh words and green eyes that stared past her as if she was nothing. It had been the same every day since she had arrived in the world of the Hollows, a place devoid of everything she held dear. No friends, no family… a lack luster piece of coal compared to the shining gem of the land of the living.

"Woman." Orihime turned her head slightly to stare at the Espada that had just entered the room, his presence announced by the opening of the door. "I brought you food." His voice was almost painful to hear in the beginning, but she was used to the deadpanning. She turned and set her feet on the cold, whitewashed stone floor.

"Yes, Ulquiorra." She rose and went to take the tray from his hands, her eyes on the jacket he wore. Many times did she wonder why he was placed in charge of her, though the obvious reasons were evident, she preferred to know the actual solution to her question. When her fingers curled around the edge, the Espada still held tightly to his end of the metal. Orihime frowned down at it before lifting her gaze and tilting her head back to stare at him. Ulquiorra's head was tilted slightly to the side, his lips slightly apart as if he wanted to speak but said nothing.

"What?" She asked, her eyes narrowing slightly. He was staring at her as always, but there was something different about his gaze… something somehow softer and less devoid of emotion. Then the moment was broken once it registered that she had noticed his actions. His fingers dropped from the tray and he turned to exit the room.

"I shall return momentarily to collect the tray. If it is not empty, it will be the usual punishment." His words lingered even after the door closed, the locks clicking into place. The usual punishment consisted of a verbal thrashing and threats on her life. If that did not work, he resorted to threatening the lives of her friends. Orihime was sick of it, so she ate whatever they gave her – aside from the mystery meats – without complaint, without really tasting. Not that it had much of a taste to her… her desire to eat had left her and as a result, she was getting unbearably thin until the threats came.

It was almost like Ulquiorra cared… almost. He brought her clean clothes, food and what little it was worth, company everyday. If he hadn't been forced to take care of her, she would have assumed that he was willing to. Moving to the small table in the room, she set the tray down and started to eat, stabbing the most appealing looking foods first before choking down the meat-like substance. Eventually, the tray was completely emptied of all its contents and she was feeling sleepy. Not that she could sleep too early. The Espada didn't want her sleeping before the bright orb of light outside sank to oblivion.

Orihime was too caught up in her thoughts to hear the door opening or the footsteps that broke the silence in the room, her position that of before as she stared out the only window in her room. Ulquiorra was mildly surprised to see the tray empty. There was usually a considerable amount left on it, and today there was nothing. And she wasn't looking at him as she usually did when he entered. Not that she cared if he was here; she was too busy reliving her own memories to be bothered by his anti-social behaviors and cruel, biting stares.

"Woman, look at me." She turned her head slightly, her eyes trailing across the line of his dark hair before meeting his gaze.

"Yes?" Her voice deadpanned across the room, falling heavily on his ears. She was still with Ichigo and Rukia, still at the school fair that happened before all of this hell happened; her yes was only a natural, learned response. They had so much fun together, Rukia and Ichigo fighting like lovers as they tried to see who could win at the most booths. It was enough to make Orihime laugh, but not quite. Blessed memories. They kept her sane.

* * *

Ulquiorra knew she wasn't paying attention to him by the far away look in her eyes. It angered him that she would dare be more absentminded than usual around him, and she deserved some sort of punishment for her utter disregard. He lifted the tray and slammed it down on the table. Once. Loudly. It was enough to shock her from whatever she was pondering as she flinched and jumped to her feet.

"Yes?" She repeated, her eyes filled with fear and revulsion as he watched. That was better, much better. Serves the human trash right for thinking that she could so easily ignore him.

"Do not treat me like I am not here. I demand all of your attention and I shall get it." She bowed her head and nodded, her lower lip quivering slightly. Emotion that he did not understand. Why was she so attached to a place that she could no longer return to? It made no sense to the Espada and it was something that he was going to pry from her, that longing to return. She would want to stay here by the time he was finished with her. All he had to do was wear away that image she had so carefully preserved, the image of her friends coming to find her, of her Soul Society, of her home.

"Yes. I understand. I'm sorry." She had learned quite well, he had to admit. At least she was being submissive and meek now, like she should have been in the beginning.

Orihime had changed much since she had first arrived. Her deeply tanned skin had paled to a light glow, her eyes lost their boldness and her voice, its volume. It was only a matter of time before Aizen's plan was set in motion and she fulfilled her purpose. Then what of her?


	2. Thinking

**I decided to explore Ulquiorra's contemplative side a bit before really expanding into the plot. Might be a bit out of character for our darling Ulqui, but I think it'll turn out fine. :3  
**

**Some plot development and some other good stuff happens in this chapter.**

**Treason, murder and greed within Aizen's hold.  
**

**Read, Review, love?**

**DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN BLEACH.**

* * *

The Fourth Espada was surrounded by nothing save for the sound of his footsteps against the stone floor, his own thoughts as deadpan as the dull thudding noise. That woman was asleep now, tossing and turning within her dreams the last he saw her. Frankly, he was getting sick of tending to her now that she was rather docile. Even her gray eyes started to take on a lifeless cast, the once liquid color looking more and more murky, the Espada even thinking they were brown for a moment.

Ulquiorra rounded the corner that took him directly passed that woman's room, the hall empty save for him. Vaguely, he wondered what a stupid woman would dream about. Most likely her friends, or a place that was much prettier and safer than where she currently was. Placing his hand against the door with a sigh, he walked inside the cool interior of the room and took up residence in the only chair in the room.

The moon was shining through the barred window high on the wall, making the Espada's skin glow faintly. There he sat, staring out of the corner of his teal eyes at the woman curled on her side beneath the blankets. He knew that Aizen planned to use the girl's powers to an extent, and that was the way he meant to keep it. Ulquiorra didn't want to have to deal with the woman for a very long period of time; at the moment he was charged with protecting her, feeding her, clothing her. It was like he was a wet nurse for an infant rather than a human teenager.

As far as Ulquiorra was concerned, she should just be killed as she was a danger to all the Arrancar with all the Shinigami that she attracted. More than just a few were coming to find her, and Ulquiorra wouldn't be surprised if they had the entire Soul Society knocking on their door. And they wouldn't be staying for tea, either.

But, when he looked at her, he felt strange, like he had a lump in the center of his chest. A lump that, no matter how hard he hit it, stayed where it was. He would never admit that he _needed_ to see her to get rid of that obstruction for the short amount of time they were together. As much as he hated acting as her guardian and sole protector, he needed that precious few minutes of gazing at her face. Though she was now broken, that silly woman still held that same effect for him.

The Espada recalled a conversation he had with her shortly after she had first arrived. He asked her the human heart, and if it was something he could see. Never did he think that it was something he could possibly obtain on his own. Once human, he thought he left that part of him behind forever... but what of the feeling in his chest. As he thought, his hand lifted and curled against the spot where the ache usually was. He didn't get it. What made him feel that pain? His hand lifted and thudded against his chest before he turned to completely face the bed where Orihime was fast asleep.

The same question crossed his mind: What did she dream about? Maybe he would ask her if they ever got on better terms; she was one of them now, after all.

Slowly shaking his head, Ulquiorra let his eyes fall to the floor. Aizen said he should have things such as 'compassion' and being 'kindhearted'. That is would be an easier way to get Woman to bend to their will. Too bad he didn't need to use such things to get her to conform to his will. He had her in the palm of his hand, no bait required for the capture of this bird.

Orihime tossed, the blanket slipping from the bed and onto the floor, one arm thrown over her eyes before her mouth opened.

She spoke only four words.

"Death shall claim you."

* * *

Orihime woke to Ulquiorra standing at the edge of her bed, his hands in his jacket pockets. His eyes sought hers with the same heavy expression they always held, his lips turned down in that melancholy grimace that was trademark to the Fourth. The cart was there as it was every morning when she woke, an essential part of her daily routine.

"It is about time you woke up, woman." He stepped away from the bed so she could stand and move to the chair. She slid to the edge of the bed, her feet an inch above the stone but didn't stand. Her mind was spinning from what she heard last night.

"Woman?" Her head snapped up to stare at him. Ulquiorra's eyes burned into her gray oculars, the ones that had darkened to the point of practically pitch black in the mid morning light. Orihime heard his voice in her dreams, as if hearing it around the clock everyday wasn't bad enough. He had told her of an impending doom to befall her in one way or another.

"I need to speak to Aizen. Now." A faint look of surprise glimmered for a millisecond in Ulquiorra's eyes but it was gone before Orihime could tell if she imagined it or not.

"Right away." He motioned for her to follow, which she promptly did. It was one of the only times she had ever left the prison cell since she arrived, only leaving for one such purpose: To meet with Aizen. This time she couldn't have her caretaker present. It was something that only she and Aizen should discuss. Orihime followed the Espada, her eyes on her feet rather than where they were going, only keeping up by sound rather than sight.

"Is everything... alright?" Ulquiorra had suddenly stopped sending Orihime reeling when she charged headlong into his straight back. One long white hand caught her by the elbow before she could fall, righted her, then feel away to disappear back into the jacket pocket.

"Yes, of course." She deadpanned, keeping her eyes down as she always did when speaking to Qlquiorra. She could hear his steady breathing, the sudden spike in the pattern before it settled back into regularity. His spiritual pressure had also slipped a bit but for only a moment. Curious, she looked up to see a conflicted expression on firmly planted on his face. Did he realize he wore such a face? That the deemed emotionless Espada now had 'emotion' to his usually down turned lips and drooping brow.

"What are you staring at, woman?" He suddenly asked, making her jump from her thoughts. A slight blush crept across her face as she hurried past him, knowing the way to the throne room all too well. Placing her hand on the door she pressed it open, letting it close.

"Ah, Orihime, good timing. I was just about to call for you. We need to speak about what you saw in your dream."

"Yes, Lord Aizen, we certainly do." For the first time in a long while, Orihime smiled as she moved to kneel before Aizen, her mouth opening to speak of a treason about to occur.

* * *

**A/N: I know it seems rather out of character at the moment, but things will clean up in the end and it will all make sense.**


	3. Decisions, Emotions and Trespassing

**A/N: Hey, guys! I'm currently looking for a beta, so if you're interested, gimme a shout! **

**I'll try to update daily, as much as my creativity allows so you won't have to wait long for the story to continue. Hopefully this chapter brings some light to the plot line. If it doesn't then I might just make it a splattering of fluff and romance. **

**Read, Review, love.**

* * *

There wasn't much to report that Aizen didn't already know, nothing that he hadn't already known for a long time before she had her prophetical dream of sorts. When Orihime rose to her feet from the kneeling position, Ulquiorra burst into the room, his face looking slightly angered when those sharp green eyes of his fell on the red head's back. Aizen tilted his head slightly to the right which the Espada knew was him shaking his head in a discreet manor. Immediately, the angered look was replaced by the neutral melancholy look that defined the Fourth. Aizen then tilted his head back slightly, his eyes on the ceiling in another sign.

"Come, Woman, follow me." Ulquiorra's voice called from the door, echoing slightly in the massive chamber that held nothing but the chair Aizen was perched upon. She turned and walked briskly across the room to meet him with a slight smile, her eyes on her black boots. _Same old, same old_, Ulquiorra thought with the analytical mind of his. What was he expecting, that meeting between her and Lord Aizen to change the way she acted? She had definitely been hiding something from him, something he would pry from her once they were alone in her cell.

"Do not ever run from me again, Woman. Things worse than I lurk within these walls." He threatened with that dead, unfeeling voice of his, the one that easily conveyed the emotions he claimed to not have. The stupid woman turned to smile at him again, her gray eyes lively as they met his. Ulquiorra felt a shocked expression pass across his face for the second time, dropping it two seconds after Orihime glimpsed it. Her eyes narrowed slightly before she turned and kept walking, her hands clasped behind her. She was even humming. The Espada retracted his previous thought and decided that Aizen had changed her somehow. Which he would know shortly. The pair stopped before her door, a mere impression in the wall the only identification that it was there, the Espada reaching out to unlock it. Once it swung open, they stepped inside, female before male. Now time for the interrogation. Ulquiorra followed her to the chair, standing before her as she sat with the table between them. Her eyes fell on the chilled food, her hand shaking slightly as she moved to pick up the implement in which to eat it with. Now that she had relieved the pressure upon her mind, she paid attention to what was before her, set on the plate in ornate fashion: It did not look appealing to her in the slightest. Glancing up and seeing Ulquiorra staring at her, she remembered his threat of being force fed and shoveled bits into her mouth.

"Woman." She looked back up at him, fear blossoming in her eyes when she saw his stern expression, "What is it that you spoke of with Aizen-sama?"She swallowed hard then a second time to dislodge the lump the cold, congealed food had created.

"Aizen-sama has requested that I not speak of such matters with anyone but Aizen-sama." The Espada was immediately annoyed with her boldness, the trust she placed so easily in the man that demanded her kidnapping and captivity. Why did she so easily trust Aizen when he, HE, was the one that tended to her on a daily basis, four times a day?! Gritting his teeth slightly, he unleashed upon her a full out glare. The woman's hand shook and the fork dropped from her thin fingers, clattering on the table. Tears welled up in her eyes as her entire frame shook with fear. That was better, much better. She was back to being afraid of him, the previous mood completely gone now that they were alone.

"Is that so?" He took a sharp step forward, the hilt of his sword tapping against the surface of the table. Woman whimpered faintly, her hands slightly upraised as if she was expecting him to strike her. Which he did not do. Instead, he dropped his eyes to the plate then raised them back to hers. "Maybe I should show you why I'm the Fourth Espada... would that make you tell me?"

"No... please. I can't tell you." She begged, her hands clenching the table in a vice grip, her body shaking harder now. Maybe she thought that table would protect her, keep her anchored safely in awareness. Before he knew what was happening, his body acting on it's own accord, his hand lifted and hovered above the top of her head. She whimpered again, softer this time, her gray eyes snapping closed and her teeth grinding together. She really was expecting him to strike her, for him to break the bind that tied him to doing Aizen's will. Instead, his hand fell back to his side where it disappeared into the pocket it was always tucked in.

"I shall know, woman. I shall." Then he left it at that, his eyes wandering back to the tray of food, "Now eat. I shall call for a warm meal to be brought." Ulquiorra turned to the door, internally warning himself to be on guard.

* * *

Orihime stared at his back as he left the room, breathing a sigh of relief when he didn't hit her like she thought he would. His hand had hovered over her for a moment, then he turned and left, saying he was going to get her a better meal which she would greatly appreciate. The meal she had before her was cold and a complete mess that would make her sick rather than assist her growling internal organ.

And now, she had time to think.

She had dreamt that Ulquiorra loved her, ardently so. Loved her despite his lackluster way of showing it. Aizen knew of it before her since he had a connection with all of the Espada. Aizen had explained that Ulquiorra wasn't meant to show weakness, that he had no human heart, no ability to comprehend the feelings he felt within himself Aizen knew, and yet the words that she had spoken on the edge of her dream made no sense. Unless the applied to herself, of course.

Aizen had also explained that Orihime would come to a point in time where she had to choose, she had to decide what she wanted - her friends, or the Fourth Espada. A choice that she could never make without splitting herself into pieces. She would sacrifice herself to save them both. She didn't know why she would make such a choice for an Espada, an enemy of the Soul Society, a place she had fought so hard to protect. But, she also felt that she should protect her guardian from her friends. Her friends from her guardian. Again, Ulquiorra caught her by surprise when he returned, a servant pushing a cart behind him. He snapped his fingers and the old food was cleared away, replaced with fresh, piping hot food. It smelled divine to her hunger ravaged stomach.

"Ulquiorra," She forced herself to start. He turned his gaze away from the window to look at her, "What would you do if you had to chose between something that you've had all of your... existence and something you felt a need to have?" He tilted his head slightly to the right, his eyes still the same bottomless pit they always were.

"What do you mean 'something you feel the need to have'? Easy. I would take them both." Orihime swallowed the mouthful she had finished chewing and sighed. He obviously didn't get what she meant. That was what Aizen explained, that he couldn't comprehend things such as this.

"What if you can't have both? You could only choose one without losing the other." As she watched, a slight understanding dawned on him. He shifted so he was facing her, his eyes lighting upon hers.

"I would take what I felt I needed to have." Nodding slightly, she returned to food. Taking the obvious hint that she didn't wish to speak to him any longer, the Fourth Espada departed with the same farewell, leaving Orihime to her twisted thoughts. Him or her friends? Ulquiorra or Ichigo? Ulquiorra or Rukia? Why did she have to decide? As she ate, tears spilled down her cheeks and mingled with the food, filled the crevice between her closed lips as she chewed. She had already decided that she would finish her duty here, but if it came down to choosing, which it would, what would she ultimately decide? Love or _Love_? Guiding or being guided?

Back at the Soul Society, she wasn't needed for much. The others did the fighting and only used her if someone was about to perish, which rarely happened. Here, she was a dire role in their plans and as sick as it was, it made her feel needed. Made her feel like she finally belonged somewhere in the world. Before, everyone cast her aside and now someone needed her. Needed Orihime.

Setting her fork on her the now empty plate, she stood and went to stand in the window where sunlight flittered down brightly. She had decided.

* * *

**Thanks for waiting for the update, guys! I know things still seem a little tattered, and you can tell me if they are. I'll try to explain one on one. **

**Much love to my readers,**

**CJ.  
**


	4. Something's gotta give

She was standing in the light of the window when he returned, turning to look at him when entered. Snapping his fingers, he watched the servant roll the cart in a take away the empty plate and fork. What she had asked him before lingered in his mind, made him think about the question much more then he had ever planned to.

"Woman." She completely turned to face him, her eyes never leaving his. Her hair was pulled forward over her shoulders like she had leaned forward, gray eyes rimmed with red. Ulquiorra couldn't ask her if she was alright, he couldn't ask her what bothered her; that was something glaringly outside of his range. He wouldn't submit himself to that even if he had to. He would take her to Aizen since that seemed to help her so much.

"Yes?" She asked after the silence extended longer then it usually did when he called her to attention. As the Espada watched, tears welled up in her eyes and spilled down her paling skin. "What is it?" The girl's voice was thick with anguish and despair. Much to Ulquiorra's dismay, something turned over in his mind and he wanted to comfort her but that desire wasn't as strong as his revulsion at displaying such a weak willed emotion, if he decided to show it at all. Many thought he was uncomprehending, unable to show such a thing. That wasn't true. He just wasn't willing to display something that he supposedly left behind.

"Why do you cry? Is it your friends again? I've told you. You waste your tears." To his utter amazement, she shook her head viciously, tears fanning away from her face to splatter on the floor in dots her human eyes wouldn't ever catch. The salt water pooled on the white floor, making it darker until they dried.

"No..." She whispered, the Espada having to strain to hear even with his advanced ears. "It's not them." Surprise ran through his mind and made his thoughts spin, his face staying in the same mask he always wore. If it wasn't that, then what was it? What? He wanted to ask so many questions and get answers, his hungry mind wanting to expand.

He didn't ask. Instead, he turned and left her to her tears. The hall was quiet again save for the faint noise of her sobs coming from within the room behind him, the other Arrancar staring at him as he walked silent past them all. None of them bothered to say anything to him anymore since he has stopped speaking to them. They all have trivial minds, regardless. None of them held any fascination for him and his quick thoughts; he had spent too much time around them.

"Ulquiorra, turn." Aizen called from within the throne room. A half second later, he was before his lord. "How are things with Orihime? It seems to me that she hasn't been doing too well, has she?"

"No, Aizen-sama, she has not." Ulquiorra monotoned, staring openly at Aizen. The man ran his fingers through his hair and sighed, standing from the chair.

"Why has she not improved? You have been tending to her, making sure she is comfortable, yes?" The Fourth nodded in agreement, his eyes following Aizen as he moved across the dark floor.

"I am not equipped to handle what she requires." He spoke, his tone saying that Aizen should know that. Instead of frowning like the Espada thought he would do, Aizen burst into laughter, a low ringing noise that sounded more like a fork against glass instead of humor, an agonizing sound.

"It seems our little bud is starting to become a very beautiful flower despite the situation. She has dreams that predict the future, as inconsistent as those dreams may seem at this point in time, all of the pieces are there: We just have to put them together." Ulquiorra's brow drooped even lower on this face and his frown deepened, looking more depressed then he did before. Ulquiorra didn't understand what Aizen was getting at, or why his master would even confide such important information to him.

"I do not see how that is relevant, Aizen-sama. What would you like me to do?"

"I want you to try and get closer to her, to try and get what happens in those dreams out of her. I don't want you to harm her, I want you to get to know her, to get her to trust you. That is why I have assigned you to watching her. I know you can handle this." He waved his hand at the Fourth as a sign of dismissal at which Ulquiorra stood and walked from the chamber in curious silence.

Orihime was asleep when he went to check on her, rolled into a tight ball that looked uncomfortable to sleep in. How can she sleep like that? Doesn't it hurt? She is only human after all. Walking to the edge of the bed as he always did, he lifted the blanket that had been thrown off of her and placed it at Orihime's slender shoulder. She had dreams the told of the future, did she? It was remarkable that such a tiny human girl could gain such abilities, be able to expand in such a way. Maybe they weren't all useless trash like her friends made them out to be. 'Talents' as humans called them weren't really talents at all but the perfection of a trait already latent within someone or something. Talents were like the young woman's gifts. Those were special.

* * *

Orihime wasn't keeping track of the days anymore. She got up, ate, deadpanned with Ulquiorra and went back to bed. Mealtime after mealtime were beginning to blur together until it seemed she was constantly eating, constantly lying there in the silence. Several times did she see Aizen and several times did her mood change, only to drop back into the despair where she lingered. It was like being in suspended animation. Nothing to keep you anchored safely to happiness. Nothing to keep you from falling into a dark depression. Nothing but the one person who kept pulling you back and forth until you hovered between the two emotions, not really feeling anything anymore. Ulquiorra did that to Orihime. She was confused about how she should feel, hurt by his sudden silences after making an attempt to speak to her, angered by his misconceptions.

"Orihime." That same voice, the same Arrancar. "I would like it if you weren't in bed." That was how he spoke to her now. He told her what he would like her to do, but it still meant 'Do it, or I'll make you suffer.' Rolling from her side, she set her bare feet on the floor and stood, turning to face Ulquiorra in the same motion. She could tell he was trying to be something other then emotionally dead, but frankly, she didn't give a hoot at the moment. She needed her friends. Something struck her... Did he say her name?

"Come sit with me." He jerked his head towards the empty chair across the table, his eyes never leaving hers. Orihime moved to take the seat, wondering when another chair had even appeared in the room. Most likely when he tried to become more friendly to his captive, she assumed. "How... are you?" He asked once she took the chair, her gray eyes on the granite of the table. At once, her head jerked up and a bleary gaze met his hypnotic stare.

"I'm... okay. How are you?" This was so unlike the Espada. Orihime found herself trying to remember the days that seemed to meld together rather then forget. This was the first time he had ever asked such a question. Ulquiorra tilted his head before replying, his eyes not once wavering from hers.

"My body is well." The young woman stifled a sigh. She wasn't meaning to ask that, but of course he took it that way... He was who he was, and there was no changing that. Wringing her hands together, she nibbled her lip before looking away from the male across from her.

"I meant to... ask if you are doing okay, having to force yourself to do this? Talking to me..." As she watched the teal eyes narrowed slightly and his lips pressed together, he had even shifted so he was leaning forward by a few degrees.

"You believe I am forcing myself to do this? That I wouldn't wish it of myself to be more 'open', as you humans say, with you?" His voice has taken on a slightly angered tone, his eyes flashing once before they continued to stare at her. His gaze was as hard as ice.

"I know you are." Orihime whispered, yanking her eyes from his to stare at the table top. "Normally you're so cold towards me... So unchanging." Ulquiorra gave a frustrated sigh. Again, Orihime was taken aback. When did all of this start happeneing? She wanted to kick herself for not paying attention. A long white hand grasped her wrist, yanking her right arm across the table so she was leaning over it, her left arm holding herself up.

"I am not cold." As he spoke, he pressed her hand against his cheek. His skin was too smooth for human skin, too abnormally shaded to even look like it should hold warmth but beneath Orihime's palm was warm, only a few degrees cooler then her own skin. "And I am not forcing myself. to do anything I do not wish to do." His cheek barely moved when he spoke, his fingers uncoiling from her wrist so she could leave the uncomfortable position. Slowly, she retook her seat and tried to sort out her thoughts. Maybe he was right. Maybe she was so wrapped up in thinking the worst of him that she couldn't see that he had been trying this whole time. Trying to make things easier for her though they both knew it would never happen. Then something clicked.

In the beginning, Orihime was so set on Ulquiorra being the 'bad guy' that she overlooked everything. She had come her of her own accord, they didn't force her. Ulquiorra's bad traits were only a projection of her own expectations, a painting created by her inner mind of what he really should be like. Now that the veil of sorts was lifted, she could see that she had the wrong image of him the entire time: He was only trying to help. Smiling slightly, she turned her gaze back to his face.

"Thank you for everything."

"What have I done?"

"You've been helping me."

Ulquiorra was watching her as she moved around the table with cautious steps. Orihime herself didn't know what she was doing until she was next to his chair and leaning down. Teal eyes never left hers as she hesitantly brushed her lips across his. It wasn't a bad thing, Orihime decided, but it wasn't something she would do every day. Instead of saying anything farther, she pulled away and moved to stand in the light of the window, smiling for the first time in a long while.

"Why?" Ulquiorra finally spoke, still sitting in the chair. "Why did you do that, Orihime?" He did say her name! Excitement flooded her system and made her heart race. She didn't turn to look at him, afraid her expression would give her away. Speaking as calmly as she could, she replied:

"I have not forced myself to do anything I haven't wanted to do."

* * *

Now things were really getting confusing for Ulquiorra. For the last week, he had been trying deperately to play nice with the woman and the only time he spoke harshly to her in that entire time frame, she rewarded him with a kiss. Maybe she lost her mind... Ulquiorra was in his own quarters that much resembled Orihime's in their lack of decoration and habitation, his fingers upon his lips. They burned, but he felt no wound. Even the side of his face where he had placed her hand himself tingled violently. What was happening to him? He would have to ask the woman what she meant by what he had done. He still didn't understand what she meant by that in the slightest.

"What have you done to me, Orihime?" He whispered to the shadows of his room. They didn't say anything back, the silence almost unbearble for someone who had once cherished it. He was so used to having Orihime around, hearing her breathe, hearing her talk... This wasn't right. This was NOT RIGHT. If it wasn't for Aizen's command, he would have turned the task down: He felt himself changing inside. How would she continue to affect him the more he stayed around him. Everything about her drew him in and one way or another, he would have to try and fight the feeling raging inside him off. Slipping off the bed, he went to the table and brushed his hand along the cold surface, the bite of the stone clearing his head. He was not human. Why did he feel human things?

And when she kissed him....

It took everything he had to resist the urge to press his lips back, to keep his face blank of the the desire he felt. Was it entirely obvious in the way he looked at her that he wanted her that badly? That he wanted that stupid, naive woman, of all things? Slouching forward, he placed his forehead against his knees and thought.

Something had to give.

* * *

**Hey guys! A little fluff here for you! **

**Thanks to the people that have reviewed! It's nice to know someone likes my work! **

**I write for you guys.**

**CJ**


	5. Touch Me Never

**A/N: The more I write, the more this becomes a little steamy to me as I think ahead in the plot. All of this has something to do with it, all of which doesn't follow the original storyline of Bleach. It's just a little romance that probably gets a little smutty near the end. **

**I'm trying to portray Ulquiorra as I think he would act, someone that is trying to deal with emotions he doesn't understand at all. He's overcome and to the point of breaking, which I think I capture nicely in this chapter.**

**Read, review, love?  
**

* * *

Ulquiorra had been fighting with himself the entire night, Orihime could sense the tension in the air. She also wondered why she had awoke to the sound of his footsteps against the floor. They were unusually loud, and the sun wasn't even up yet which was when he came to wake her so she could bathe and change into fresh clothing. No, the moon was still up now, not visible through the window but the air held the cool bite of a desert night. She shifted slightly but with exaggerated slowness like she was still asleep so she could turn over and watch him. He was pacing the room at a violent pace, reaching one end and whipping around so viciously, his jacket flared out and brushed the wall with the small noise of cloth meeting wind. She was tempted to raise up on her elbows and ask him what was the matter, but she had an intense feeling that doing so would not be a good idea at the present moment. Instead, she continued to watch him.

His face, that pale mask marked by fake tears, was contorted in confusion which was the most Orihime had ever seen it change. She tossed over on her side, the footsteps coming to a stop as if he realized that she was there. Then they continued, slowly this time and the grew nearer to the bed where she lay. It was so quiet save for her deep, even breathing that she could here him breathing. A single finger touched her shoulder and trailed down to her neck, leaving goosebumps in its wake, his breathing catching slightly when her hand moved to get an itch on her chin. The finger replaced by an entire palm against her cheek, Orihime having to repress a shudder of delight. Maybe Ulquiorra was becoming more human after all. Maybe she was teaching him something that he didn't know, something he thought he had lost.

The prospect was mind boggling and made her want to jump up and hug him. Instead she gave a low sigh and turned over on her back with an arm thrown over her eyes. One of his hands captured her wrist and lifted her arm, setting it on the bed next to her body. Orihime peeked through her lashes and nearly gasped when she saw the look on his face. If it were possible, he looked sadder then ever before. His lips were slightly parted as he leaned away, the strange look on his face disappearing to be replaced by one of contentment. Orihime wanted to ask but felt it best to remain 'asleep.' Things wouldn't go on very swimmingly if she was to suddenly sit up, so instead she slowly awoke.

Sitting up on her elbows, she rubbed her left eye and peered at through the darkness at the glowing figure dressed in white.

"Ulquiorra?" She murmured, her voice thick with sleep and her hair bright hair rumpled from the tossing and turning. He turned back to face her.

"Yes?" His voice seemed very loud but still monotone, the emotions gone now as they spoke. Orihime wanted him to stay and talk to her, to keep her company. "I did not mean to wake you. I only came to check on you." Maybe she had imagined it, but where he touched her felt as if it was in flames, the tingling something that she couldn't possibly lay off as a dream.

"Where are you going now? Back to your room?"

"Yes, I am. Why are you concerned with that?" Ulquiorra moved so he was completely facing her, his eyes burning into hers, eyes that seemed to burn with light even in the dimness. There was something new in those beautiful eyes that never left her, that always watched her, something that had never been there before. Sitting up, she set her bare feet on the cold floor and felt goosebumps rise on her skin as she stood.

"Because it's what I do. Care about you." His face blanked for a moment and he took a slight step back, his hand drifting up to the hilt of his sword. Orihime hesitated for a brief second before continuing forward, placing her hand on the one that clenched the hilt, her other on his shoulder. "All I can do," She whispered into his ear, her lips brushing against the flesh of his cheek. Orihime felt his shoulder quiver once then remain motionless, his eyes staring down at her with an unfathomable glimmer in them.

* * *

She was so close to him now, Ulquiorra's body hyper aware of her proximity. His jaw clenched and his body shook once when her lips brushed against his face, but he controlled himself; no doubt she felt it. He could safely assume that she could see the desire burning in his eyes, the longing to touch her.

He had made the mistake of venturing down the path of allowing himself to touch her smooth skin and now he only wanted more. He wanted to brush his lips across the expanse of her shoulder, wanted to trail his fingers down the length of her back. His fingers hurt with the force he was using to squeeze his sword, the hilt the only thing keeping him from reaching out and touching her. His other hand was clenching the scabbard viciously, like it would keep him anchored to sanity. _Ha_. Sanity. That was laughable. Ulquiorra felt he hadn't been sane since he started the mission.

"Ulquiorra," She whispered in a musky voice, her eyes smoldering up at him. He had to look away, he had to escape or he would be undone by her _everything. _The scent of her skin, the glitter of her fire colored hair, her very touch slowly unclasping every seam carefully held in place. Orihime would be the death of him, or herself, whichever came first.

"Woman. Release me." He fought to keep his voice level, his words biting in the silence. She obviously didn't hear because she moved her mouth to the corner of his lips, to his chin, beneath his jaw. Tiny sweet kisses that burned him to the core, made his throat tighten and his legs feel weak. What was this feeling, this utter disregard that flooded him the more she blessed his skin with her soft touch? That was when he could bear it no longer.

"I said 'release me'." He freed a hand and shoved her violently away from him all the while retreating a few feet back and inhaling air that wasn't filled with her smell, her body heat. Orihime staggered and caught herself against the table, her face down turned with a mane of hair veiling it from view. Her shoulders shook violently and her arms quivered until she wrapped them around herself.

"I... I'm sorry." She whispered thickly before retreating to her bed, throwing the blankets up over her head. Ulquiorra felt the lump in his chest turn even harder then it was before, and he suddenly wished he could take back what he had done. Was this... regret? Why did he CARE about a human woman? A piece of trash?

Sobs filled the silent room, followed by sniffles making the room sound much like a funeral and the silence was a dirge. It was almost unbearable to know that he had hurt her even after he swore to Aizen he wouldn't.

"O... Orihime..." There was no response but the sobs did increase in volume until they stopped all at once, the sniffling as well. Maybe she had fallen asleep again? Ulquiorra moved silently towards the end of the bed and looked down at her. Yes, she was asleep again. Maybe she would think it was all a dream. That would be... nice. Leaning down, he pressed his lips against his smooth forehead and took his leave, his thoughts once again convolted after he assumed it was all cleaned up.

Orihime was making his heart beat again.


	6. Pressure, useless pressure

**A/N: It gets really steamy in this chapter. I'm warning you. Really steamy. There's also some angst and some fluff too. Bear with the Orihime emoness here in the beginning. It gets better, I promise!**

**I'm putting this back up against my better judgement because of a lot of ranty emails I got telling me to put it back up.**

**Here you go.**

* * *

It was useless to think she could possibly change him. Trying to change something so set in its ways was like trying to change the tides, or the mixture of gases that made up the atmosphere: Harmful to everything involved. Yet, Orihime couldn't bring herself to stop. She couldn't make herself quit no matter how hard she tried. Rejection filled her heart and soul yet she could not stop feeding her addiction. Was it because he was around her all the time? Was it because she really cared for him like she once had for Ichigo? His name made her heart pang and her breath catch in her throat. Ichigo. _Ichigo. _Now she cried silent tears for him as well. Orihime was aware of Ulquiorra standing next to her bed, even more so of the lips that graced her forehead in a kiss of farewell. It was as if that kiss sealed off his feelings for her, got rid of something that he no longer wanted.

That was two nights ago. He hadn't spoken to her since she refused to let him go. Two long days of nothing but silence. He'd have the servant cart in her meals and cart them out when she was finished. He'd bring her a fresh uniform and take away the old one to be... Well, she didn't know what they did with them. That was it. She didn't try to talk to him, nor he to her.

She had moved one of the chairs so it was up against the far wall of the cell and sat in it, pulling her legs up to her chest. Her back was to the room, against the horrible life she now lived. She found comfort in her memories, as childish and immature as that seemed. The blankness of the wall allowed for her to clearly picture their faces, but Ichigo's was far out of reach. His voice, his eyes... they were all gone to her now, replaced by Ulquiorra's daunting stare and monotone.

"Why are you over there?" Ulquiorra demanded when he entered the room holding a clean uniform. Orihime slowly turned to face him. She thought she had more time to put the chair back and crawl into bed. "Are you not sleeping?" She picked up the chair and moved it back to the table. Her voice wouldn't work, her mind couldn't process what he had asked of her.

"Woman. I'm speaking to you." She continued to stare at the table, still unable to speak. A low sigh rumbled from Ulquiorra when he must've realized that she did not want to talk to him. No, she wanted to. "Are you ill?" A single shake of the head was all he got in response. Another sigh, heavier this time, more resigned.

"Too bad for you, Ulquiorra, this must be _so hard_ for you to deal with. Just leave me alone. I do not want you around me." The words poured from her lips, dripping into the air like acid from a vial. That voice, those words, were not hers. Her voice was distorted in grief and her tone hardened from the rejection. She turned towards him, lifting her gaze to meet the mildly surprised stare of the Espada. Not until he apologized would she speak to him on the friendly terms they once had. Not until then which would probably be awhile since he didn't like to admit weakness.

"Are you_ threatening_ me?" He demanded, throwing the uniform on the table with an aggrivated flick of the wrist. She shrugged, took the uniform and went to the small bathroom in the cell to change. Once inside, she slid to the floor with her cheek to the cool stone. Who was she becoming? The longer she remained her, the farther she felt from herself. It was like watching a terrible movie where the plot line is revealed too early and she was cast as the lead. She was watching this movie and yet she couldn't stop it or turn her eyes away; it was reality. Orihime was losing herself in the tide of depression and she didn't know if she could get herself back.

Rising to her feet, she changed her clothes slowly. Her hands slid across flesh that seemed foreign to her like a new piece of clothing. Her fingertips touched her shoulder and slid down the side of her ribs to her hips where they stopped. The soft skin dented if she pressed gently with her nail, but didn't break. So funny how it was like the spirit of a person. Under a little pressure it doesn't break but bends to the will of the one shaping it, but if too much pressure is applied, that spirit breaks leaving the person forever marred. She wondered if that was happening to her.

"Woman, are you well?" Ulquiorra was opening the door with Orihime still standing there in the nude, rudely as always with his forgetfulness to knock or just the utter lack of regard for her privacy. He looked struck for a moment but regained his composure when his eyes lit on her naked figure whose perfectly pale skin made her seem angelic. She stared at him before kicking the old uniform towards him and turning to the bathtub which was already filling up with hot, clear water. He picked it up in a shuffle of fabric against fabric and vacated.

* * *

Ulquiorra braced himself against the closed door, panting heavily as he crushed a fist to his forehead. The waves of desire lapped at his fevered body, making him shudder and quake in longing. This was a new feeling for him, wanting someone this much and in this way. Of course he was educated about the ways of the body and sex, but never had he actually wanted to perform the carnal act with anyone let alone a human girl. When he had opened the entrance to the bathroom and saw her naked, it was like the weight of the world was suddenly resting on his shoulders, rooting him place. He had to fight to get it his legs to work, to bend over and pick up the discard clothing.

What was happening to him?

Before he really knew what he was doing which seemed to be happening often lately, he had reopened the door and stepped across the threshold. Orihime gasped and threw her hands up to cover herself, but he had already seen everything only moments before. Every little detail about her body was stored in his mind where it stewed, teasing him. She glared at him as he stepped to the tub, opening her mouth to speak as he knelt at the lip of the bath. She had no time to form words as his mouth claimed her moments later.

There was nothing to say, nothing to think about but the taste of her mouth against his. Ulquiorra's tongue worked its way into her mouth, the woman pressing her wet chest against his as her arms wrapped around his neck. A small whimper in the back of her throat only ignited his desire from a small flame to a blazing inferno. The Espada drew back only to trail his mouth down her neck, his teeth grazing her shoulder. Orihime groaned in delight, her back arching. Why are you doing this? The male demanded of himself. Why are you subjecting yourself to this... torture, this weakness? It was incredibly hard to form coherent thoughts as he brought his mouth back to hers, the woman's teeth sinking into his lower lip. Her nails dug into his flesh, destroying any last thought within his mind.

A low groan sounded low in his throat, a sound that he would've only made on the battlefield. Orihime was still in the bathtub, and according to Ulquiorra, that would never do if he wanted to touch the rest of her smooth skin. Shedding his jacket, he dipped his arm into the bathwater and lifted her up with the intent of taking her back to a more comfortable venue: The bed. The moment she was against the sheets, his mouth found the soft skin of her naval, the curve of her breast, the hardness of the nipple there, his teeth finding purchase. Orihime's breathing was a pant, her body hot to his touch. Her back arched and her fingers dug into his back like he was holding her together. Her hips bucked and ground against his as he continued to nibble on her epidermis. He responded by pressing his back making her groan loudly.

Her gray eyes were alive but Ulquiorra noticed that there was a a sadness buried deeply beyond the desire, a latent emotion long pushed away. Why was that rising now? He wondered as his brushed his lips against her shoulder. This was too much and going way too far. Yanking himself away despite the thoughts that screamed at him to do otherwise, he went to the bathroom to collect his jacket and departed.

Not even the cool air of his own quarters could calm the inferno of desire, his memories vague on how he even returned to his room in the first place. He knew that Orihime was off limits. He knew and yet his body still, quite literally, ached for her. He couldn't stop his body from wanting her, but part of his mind was vaguely disgusted. The hollow in him demanded to why he was attracted to human trash, wanted to know why he found himself aroused when he thought of wet body, soap suds clinging to her pale flesh that glittered like gems. Ulquiorra couldn't take it anymore. He couldn't.

Ha. Aroused was a funny word to describe the way he felt. He so badly wanted to be done with her, to be done with his obligation - the burden - and yet, at the same time, he didn't want to see her go. He wanted to keep her all to himself like the naturally greedy creature he was. He was too concerned with his own well being to even think about giving her up. Of course, he would have to let her go since she did not belong to him, that woman. She belonged to Aizen who planned to use her for the benefit of his cause. Such a mess! Figures that a human would cause him this much trouble.

* * *

**A/N: Really steamy chapter.**

**Might get a little more steamy next chapter, but I've got to have some random chapters in here too. **


	7. Thank You For the Memories

**Thank you so much for reading and giving me such wonderful feedback! I'll keep at it and I'll try to give you what you want from it.**

**Thanks, Stephenie, your insight means a lot to me and it's really nice to know that someone feels the same!**

**This chapter is another reason why this fanfiction does not follow the Bleach plot. I'm using the newest chapter that was just released, 349 I believe, as reference for this, so if you haven't read it, don't read this yet! SPOILER ALERT!**

**Read, review, love!**

* * *

Orihime moved with the stiff motions of an automatron, her limbs jerking and pulling as she rinsed the soap from her body. What had happened with Ulquiorra made memories of Ichigo come flooding back, lost images that didn't arrive at the greatest of times. She was haunted in her dreams by their faces and their pleas, the fact that she never bade them a proper goodbye. Most of all, she was tormented by Ichigo. His face and voice slammed through her mind like a tornado, ripping everything to pieces and leaving behind a raw and tender heart. Sitting on the bottom of the now empty tub, she wrapped her arms around herself and sobbed, her wet hair glittering in the dull light the fixture above provided.

She had loved Ichigo Kurosaki. Loved him so ardently, so passionately. And yet he never knew that, and never would. So many times did she think about telling him but decided against it since she didn't want to be a burden, so many times did she use actions that spoke louder then words to convey those feelings, and yet he never looked. Orihime clung to him when she had nothing left, clung to the hope that he would still be somewhere, someplace, alive and well. She had simply locked away the memories of what happened that day... simply forgotten and clung to a desperate hope that held no root.

_"Kurosaki!" Orihime screamed as Ulquiorra let the limp body fall to the ground with a thud. A massive portion of the Substitute's chest was missing, death claiming the boy instantly, if not moments after. Falling to her knees at his side, she continued to call his name. "Kurosaki, help me!" She cried louder, reaching through the shield she had thrown up around his body to touch his bleeding shoulder. So much blood, so many wounds... It was too much for her power to fix. _

_Her fingers grazed Ichigo's skin, yanking back when she realized it was already losing the heat of life. He was no longer breathing. There was nothing she could do to help him. Nothing, nothing, nothing. The words echoed in her mind over and over again until she felt she would go insane. _

_"Ichigo!" Then everything went dark as a pair of black and white arms grasped her, midnight wings enfolding around her. There was a moment of complete silence before Ulquiorra was standing next to her, in his typical form._

_"Is this not the corpse of your beloved Kurosaki Ichigo?" Grimmjow, another Arrancar, flaunted around the deceased Substitute as he grinned at Orihime's lifeless face. She couldn't tear her eyes away from the still form upon the stone floor, couldn't believe that it was real. NO! She wouldn't believe that it was real! Never! _

_"Is this how you treat the dead? With disrespect and cruelty?" She heard herself ask in a dead voice, her eyes still locked on Ichigo's remains. Ulquiorra was standing a little off to the left behind her, but she didn't care. "A real warrior would bury the dead - both of the enemy and his own. No warrior would parade around the field like you do, like a child. You are entirely shameless. You disgust me." Again, something so unlike her to say. Orihime didn't wait for Grimmjow's reply. She stepped forward until she was at her friend's side and knelt, closing the open lids against the lifeless orbs beneath and folding his arms across the gaping wound in his chest. Good, the stiffness hadn't fully commanded his limbs yet; they stayed where she put them._

_"What are you doing?" Grimmjow asked as she removed her coat, placing it over the body. Grimmjow, angered by her lack of response, reached out to strike her, only to be deflected from such thoughts by Ulquiorra._

_"She's honoring her dead."_

Orihime shook her head violently as she crawled forward in the tub, turning on the cold water to run it over her head. She didn't want to think about that anymore. She did not want to remember his death, the burning of the body. The images were burned into the back of her eyelids, haunting her everytime she blinked. She needed to escape. She needed Ulquiorra.

"Please..." She gasped as she quickly yanked her clothes on, "Please, no more..." The fabric clung to her wet skin as she hurried back to the main room, throwing herself on the bed. He would come soon, he had to. Her eyes remained trained on the door, wide and unclosing.

* * *

Ulquiorra was mildly alarmed when Orihime jumped up from her bed and threw herself at him, sobbing into the front of his jacket with unrepressed anguish. The servant who pushed the cart of food and utensils gave Ulquiorra a strange glance before doing his job and leaving. Honestly, the Arrancar had no idea what was happening but he couldn't bring himself to push her away. Instead, he placed a hand on her shoulder and the other on top of her head, unsure of what to do to comfort her.

"Oh, U-Ulquiorra, I re-remembered!" She stammered, her voice muffled by his clothes. Remembered? Remembered what? She gazed up at him with a tear stricken face and eyes that burned with sorrow. What was going on in that head of hers? And weren't things getting a little out of hand? All Ulquiorra was supposed to do was maintain her so she would of use to Aizen, and get close to her as his new orders stated. This wasn't in the job description.

"Remembered what?" He deadpanned, watching her face fall into deanimation, her eyes dying before his very gaze. Something terrible, he imagined, something that might have had to do with the previous time he was here. "Woman?" She had stopped crying completely, the tears drying so quickly that it was as if they were never shed.

"You killed Ichigo." Came her soft reply. Kurosaki, the Substitute. Ahh. Her eyes glared at him in accusation, her lips parting as if to tell him that she hated him. He still had his arms around her, she hadn't moved away. Hsi grip tightened reflexively; he wouldn't release her even if she wanted to go. "I need you to help me." She whispered against his chest, her hands squeezing the fabric tightly. She pulled once and released the jacket to wrap her arms completely around his thin frame.

"Help with what?"

"Help with the pain." Ulquiorra was confused. Was her body hurting her?

"Do you need any medications?" She shook her head once, her damp red hair falling over her shoulder in the movement. What, then? "What do you require?" She pulled back enough to rock forward on her tip toes, her mouth seeking out his.

"You." She smiled that same sad smile and pulled away, moving to the table where her food awaited. Ichigo Kurosaki had died by his hand, and burned by his cero, yet she still cared for him. She didn't look at him as she ate, keeping her eyes trained on her food that she consumed quickly. It was apart of his job to keep her well, and if she was in pain then she needed him, Ulquiorra rationalized. He would stay here until she didn't need him anymore. Would stay because even though that meant he was admitting to his weakness, woman needed him. Orihime needed him.

"Why do you require me, woman?" The question made her choke on the mouthful of mush she was about to swallow, turning her gaze towards him with a red face. Ahh, so she was shy, was she?

"You make the pain go away." That was different. Moving towards his chair, he took a seat and watched her. She moved with slow, dainty grace and ate in small bird-like bites. "And that's what I need right now."

"I understand." Ulquiorra replied before she was even done speaking, suddenly there lifting her up from the seat and placing her on his lap. Whatever motivated him, he didn't get it. Part of him was screaming profanities while the other was purring in delight. Part of him wanted to kill the girl and end his obligation. Part of him wanted to hate her but loved her just as the rest of him did. Wrapping his arms around her waist, he pressed his face to her back and sighed. This wasn't going to be easy.


	8. What is going on here?

**Let's explain some things here. I was referring to what a human does when faced with such a tragedy: They cling to the closest thing they can and they don't want to let go. They're faced with either holding on to dear life to this person because their mind is so fragile, or snapping into bits.  
**

** Even though Orihime knows that Ulquiorra killed Ichigo, she cannot help the way she feels because she needs something to keep her sane, but are her feelings of 'love' actually real? **

**You shall find out, reader, you shall find out. Annd I think I make Orihime a little bipolar. XD  
**

**Read, review, love?**

**C Jun  
**

**

* * *

  
**

What would you do if the only person that ever brought you solace was gone, taken away so quickly it left you breathless and confused? What would you do if you had forgotten all about the loss of that person and were left with nothing but the creature that took them away from you? What would you do?

Orihime was lying in bed, wide awake though it was the middle of the night. She hated Ulquiorra for so many reasons, hated him so strongly it almost made her physically sick. But, at the same time, she needed him. It was a disgusting balancing act: She hated him and yet she needed him. When she felt as if she would fall off the balancing beam, she would run back towards the middle where it was safe, yet insane. She could only stay there for a short amount of time before it became too much and she would have to run back to the side that made sense.

She hated him. Hated, hated, hated... but, her heart also felt something else. Was it pity, remorse for the morose Arrancar? This was the first time she couldn't understand her own feelings, one of the many times when she questioned herself. Turning over on her back, she folded her hands across her stomach and stared up at the ceiling with a thoughtful expression. Was it love she felt? Her heart still ached for Ichigo, but why did it seem to call Ulquiorra's name as well?

"Woman." Ulquiorra was at the edge of the bed before Orihime was aware of his arrival, too lost in her own little world - as she was most of the time anymore - to even hear the door open. What a strange time to arrive when she was thinking about him, but that's what he did - pop up at random times.

"Mmm?" She hummed her reply, dragging it a bit at the end to show it was a question. Ulquiorra's frown deepened for a moment as he watched her turn towards him and curl into a ball.

"Why are you still awake? Shouldn't you be sleeping?" Orihime shrugged once, staring up at him with an accusing bite to her gray eyes. She wanted to hurt him like he had hurt her so many times, take away something that was precious to him, but that was just it: He had nothing he held dear. Hence the life of an Arrancar. "Regardless, Aizen had requested to see you in the morning, so you better be prepared to meet him." Ulquiorra whirled away, his jacket flaring up like a cobra ready to strike. The door closed and she hadn't said anything to him at all.

So easily she let him walk off when she wanted to reach out and take hold of his jacket, plead with him to help her understand, not to leave her alone in the terrible silence of her room. Her hands, clenched into tight fists beneath her cheek, ached with the effort of restraining them as she extended her arms out and flexed her fingers. Fatigue did settle on her when she had turned back the covers to the bed, removing her jacket as she prepared to sleep. Hopefully her dreams were peaceful tonight.

_Orihime was surrounded by darkness, then a sudden light flared and temporarily blinded her. Dropping the hand she had used as a shield, she gasped at what she saw. Ulquiorra was there before her, wounded yet still standing, a single bloody hand reaching out to her as if to say 'please.' Her instincts told her to go to him, to assist him, but her body wouldn't move and all she did was laugh when she felt like screaming._

_The dream suddenly shifted to a battle field covered in the gore of broken bodies and bit of flesh. Random flashes of what she recognized as her own memories filled the dream scape with the only thing she hoped not to see: Ichigo and Ulquiorra fighting, Ichigo falling and not getting up again. _

_"You can't escape this fate you've been given. You can't get away. Never, never, never..."_

_It then went back to Ulquiorra who was standing over her with a grisly smile on his face, his body drenched in her own blood._

Orihime sat up screaming, biting the blanket to keep from drawing attention to her room. The sun was up now, almost time for Ulquiorra to accompany her to Aizen's presence. She would have to get herself together, hold together a building that was quickly eroding in the bitter wind of sorrow. Throwing herself from the bed, she donned her jacket and went to the bathroom. She stared into the mirror with a puzzled expression, tilting her head to the left. The last time she had looked at herself in a mirror, she was still at the Soul Society, brushing her hair before she started the day. She was smiling then and now she wasn't. She tried and it looked like she was in pain more than anything else so she dropped it and bent down to wash her face.

What if she didn't exist?

Her friends wouldn't have died. Ichigo wouldn't have died. She wouldn't have met Ulquiorra, would have never been trapped here. But she also would have never been able to meet Ichigo and fall in love. She wouldn't have had anything if she wasn't born.

With that in mind, she opened the bathroom door and waited for Ulquiorra to arrive.

* * *

Ulquiorra was outside the door when he heard a faint knock come from the other side.

"I'm ready. Take me now." He had pushed her back inside when she presented herself with a jacket buttoned improperly and her hair unbrushed. Aizen would not to be happy if it looked as if she had gone insane. What does he expect? Ulquiorra wondered as they walked in silence through the halls. Grimmjow was the only Arrancar around, the only one to watch as he escorted the human to the throne room. The Sexta had smirked darkly, his eyes never leaving the small woman as they walked past. Orihime no doubt sensed his gaze but her head hadn't lifted from its bowed position.

"Ah, Orihime, good to see you." Aizen greeted as the party fell to one knee in the typical fashion, Ulquiorra rising to his feet while Orihime stayed lowered.

"Yes," She replied softly. Aizen fixed his curious stare on Ulquiorra, those eyes asking what was going on. The Fourth lifted his right shoulder to indicate that he, too, had no idea.

"Are you well? Is everything to your liking? Perhaps you need more company other than our little friend here, hmm?" At that, Orihime's head shot up and hope glimmered in her eyes. Why was she so happy about that, the stupid woman? Ulquiorra thought with a surge of hatred. It was completely called for the way he felt. She said she needed him, after all.

"Yes, Lord Aizen, I would like that very much." She replied with more volume, jumping to her feet and giving him a half-hearted smile. What was with the girl? Ulquiorra found himself even more puzzled by her mood swings, lost because he had no idea what was going on. Not able to stand it any longer, he turned and left the room, glaring at Grimmjow when he emerged to find him waiting.

"So, Ulquiorra, what's up? Things not going well with the pet?" The Sexta purred, his eyes narrowing as he stared down at the Arrancar.

"I told you, Grimmjow, she's not a pet. She's a captive. Get it straight or I'll straighten that twisted head of yours." He snapped back, his monotone holding an angered tint. Grimmjow laughed once, a barking chuckle twisted with dark glee.

"Someone getting a little testy? I think you've been spending too much time around that human girl. It's contaminating you, Ulquiorra."

"What would you know, Sexta?" The Fourth shot back, his anger at a full boil now. Since when did Grimmjow think he had the authority to say something like that to him? He obviously was spending too much time with Orihime if this was happening before his inattentive gaze.

"Oh, I know. And if I know, Lord Aizen knows, too. I think you should take heed to what I said. You could be putting yourself in a world of trouble if you aren't careful... Not that I give a damn. I want to see you eliminated. I want a promotion." Ulquiorra's eyes narrowed and his jaw clenched. He was finding it very hard to control his rage now, and Grimmjow would be the first to feel it if he didn't shut his annoying trap.

"Ha. Ha. Ha. Like Lord Aizen would choose you, Grimmjow. And like you'll be able to even touch me with that 'force' you like to call strength. Be careful of what words you choose. I can still wipe you from the face of existence just as easily as I did that human boy." Grimmjow looked stunned but recovered immediately, his face falling back into the same cocky smirk.

"Oh, you mean Kurosaki? Did you know your little pet says his name in her sleep every night?"

"How would you know that?"

"I listen." Ulquiorra was at breaking point. Grimmjow. In Orihime's room. He clenched his hands into fists to keep from grabbing the Arrancar and snapping him in half. How dare he think he can parade around in his domain, in his territory! Orihime was his mission and no one else could tread there. He was supposed to watch her, to tend to her and that was his duty!

"You." Ulquiorra took a step forward making Grimmjow retreat one back. "If you ever set foot in that room again, I will destroy you. There won't be anything left of you when I'm finished." Behind them, the door to the throne room was opening and Orihime was stepping out looking aloof and happy. Ulquiorra knew she was there, knew that he shouldn't be acting the way he was in front of her.

"Ulquiorra, what's going on?" She asked in a mute voice, her eyes wide and afraid. The Fourth turned and grabbed the top of her arm and hauled her off, his eyes never leaving Grimmjow who waved as they left, smiling devilishly until they were out of sight.

"Ulquiorra, what is going on?" She repeated when he shoved her in the room. His only reply was a blank stare. Maybe Orihime knew Grimmjow was coming to see her. Maybe they had something between them.

"Grimmjow."

"Excuse me?"

"Have you been seeing him? Has he been coming in here?" Orihime was frightened, that much was obvious on her face. Ulquiorra advanced a step, then another until he was directly in front of her. She was standing with her back against the table so there was no escape.

"I don't know what you're talking about, Ulquiorra."

"You better not be lying, woman." I'll hurt you if you are. He added mentally, turning from the room to hunt down the dirty Sexta and ask him again.

* * *

**Right, so, not my best chapter, but I'm moving forward in the plot and this was required. I hope it helps clear some confusion from the last update up. **

**Also, I'm looking for a beta. In dire need of one, actually. Please, please, please, if you want to be one, tell me! I need you!**

**Thanks, again, Stephenie! You're the peanut butter to my jelly!**

**C Jun  
**


End file.
